CSUSB students will ride free on Omnitrans buses

SAN BERNARDINO >> Because they demanded it, Cal State San Bernardino students will again be riding free on area buses.

During the 2011-2012 school year, CSUSB took part in a pilot program with area bus system Omnitrans, offering free rides to Coyotes with their college identification. More than 3,000 students took more than 194,000 rides during the school year — about 17 percent of all students.

The university ended the Go Smart program after a single year, as part of a cost-cutting measure.

But students demanded it back,

“The Associated Students Inc. are partially responsible for bringing the Go Smart program back to CSUSB students again this year,” Bob Gardner, CSUSB vice president of administration and finance, was quoted as saying in a statement. “We’re thankful for ASI’s funding support and valuable partnership with Omnitrans and the university.”

As of Sept. 11, students are again able to ride free with their college IDs.

The campus is served by four Omnitrans bus routes: 2, 5, 7 and 11. Starting in April 2014, the new sbX bus rapid transit line will provide weekday service to the university’s main entrance.

University officials are already looking ahead to the future:

“When the San Bernardino Transit Center project is completed in 2015, the direct connection between sbX and Metrolink will greatly expand commuting options for our students,” Gardner said.

Normally, students would have to pay $1.50 per trip or $4 for a one-day pass to ride the bus. Seven-day and 31-day passes are also available. Omnitrans officials estimate students can save more than $2,800 per year in auto, fuel, and parking expenses by using the bus line.

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Other local colleges participating in the Go Smart program include Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, Chaffey College, Crafton Hills College and San Bernardino Valley College. Students at those partner schools took more than 1.4 million bus trips during the 2012-2013 school year.